Automobile headlight



R. REYMOND AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26, 1924 June 8 1926.

INiV/ld .R A inn Patented Julie s, 1926.

UNITED STATES ROGER BEYMOND, OF BRONX, NEW'YORK, ASSIGNOB TO CURVE-LITE CORPORATION 01' NEW YORK, N. Y., A conrona'rlon' or NEW YORK.

- AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT.

Application filed May as, 1924. Serial in. 715,795.

This invention relates automobile headlights and the object of the invention, broadly stated, is to provide such a headlight that;

it will automaticall 'be controlled by the combined actions 0 centrifugal force and gravity to throw a beam of lig t inthe path of the car on a curved as well as a straight road.

. Headlights adapted to be controlled, in a measure, by centrifugal force have heretofore been proposed for use on railway locomotives, but inasmuch as the problem incident to such a use is pronouncedly different and distinct from the ing the path of a roa vehicle, these prior devices are not satisfactory when used on automobiles. From a more specific standint therefore, the object of the invention is to provide an automobile headlight adapted'to throw a beam directly in the path of the car, without flicker but very sensitive to changes in directional movements of the car. In other words, it is the purpose of this invention to so construct the headlight that along a straight when the car is moving road, the beam of light projected therefrom will be steady and will not Although the invention may partake of various practical embodiments, the underlying principle remains the same in that I utilize in every instance a relatively station ary lamp casing in which a reflector is mounted for pivotal movement'about the axis of .a preferably fixedly positioned source of illumination. The center of weight of the movable reflector is exterior of its axis of rotation with the result that when the car on which thelamp is mounted deviates from a rectilinear path, centrifugal force acts -u n the reflector to cause a shifting there- 0 with consequent change indirection of projection of the beam so that the beam is at all times substantially tangent to the inner circumference of the arc of the road on which the car is travelling.

I oppose this action of centrifugal force by the force of gravity acting through appropriate mechanical means to maintain the reflector in normall untilted position and the means employe to this end is so constructed as to counteract the tendency of rough roads or a crowned road or lateral swinging of the car which would otherwise tend to cause an oscillatory vibration of the roblem of illuminate vibrate laterally.

reflector with consequent lateral shifting of the beam atsuch times as'the car was moving rectilinearlji. The present invention is so const tuted t at so long as the car is movmg stralght, the beam will be pro'ected in a steady direction although the re ector will be highly sensitive to changes in direction of movement of the car and will at all times illuminate the road directly in advance of the, car. Features of the invention, other than those specified, will beapparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions therein shown are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a headlight embodying the present invention, this section being taken on the line 11 of Figure 2.

Figure the broken line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3. is a front elevation .of one of the elements of the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2.

F1glure 4 is. a view similar to Figure 1, but s owmg a modified form of construction. This section istaken on the line 4-4= of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is Figure 4; and,

Figure 6 is a elements of ures 4 and 5.

Referring to the drawings and more par- .a section on the line 5-5 of front elevation of one of the the construction shown in Fig- 2 is a horizontal section taken on Q ticularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, 1 designates a lamp housing sup orted rigidly on a bracket 2 mounted in xed position on a car. The front of the housing is closed by means of a lens or transparent media. Any suitthe housing interiorly thereof and in salinement withthe bracket 2 is a post 5 at the rearward direction and has a top of whichis mounted a socket 6 adapted to receive an electric bulb 7. The post 5 1s hollow and wires for supplying current to the bulb 7 are led through the bracket 2 and through this post to the socket. The post 5 is rigidl the housing an the bulb ,'7 is then mamtaind in fixed positio Mounted for oscillation coaxially' of thepost 5 is a reflector 8, the lower portion of this reflector being provided with a suitable hub 9 encircling the post 5 and restmg upon a collar 10 fixed on said post. This arrangement forms a bearing for the lower portion of thereflector on the post, while the bearing for the upper portion of the reflector is formed by a thumb screw 11 threaded through the top of the housing and tapered to a point at its lower end. This point bears intoa depression formed in the bearing block 12'mounted on the reflector. ,When thus mounted the reflector is adapted for oscillation on a vertical axis co-incident with the-axis'of the post 5 andsource of light.

Formed on the hub 9 is a lug 13 to which is pivoted an arm 14, which extends in a weight 15 mounted thereon. Intermediate the ends of the arm 14 a wheel 16 is mounted for rotation and this wheel is adapted to ride in a slot 17 by a stabilizing member 18. This stabilizing member is curved longitudinally on a radius equal to the distance between said member and the axis of rotation of oscillation of the reflector and it is fixed by rivets, bolts orotherwise, to the housing so as to be rigidly positioned therein.

It will be noted that the cam slot 17 is lowest at its center as shown at 17 and that at the central portion of its upper edge it has a slight concave portion 17", the pose of which will be hereinafter more lly explained. From these central portions the slot inclines upwardly in both lateral directions and is of such a' size that the flanges of the roller 16 will preclude inadvertent disengagement of said roller from the slot.

The utilization of this stabilizing member is of marked importance since it is through its use that the construction is renpart assists gravity in forcing the reflector dered practical for use on road vehicles.

When thecar is at restor movingalong a rectilinear path, gravity will act upon the weight 15 to cause the roller to be forced downwardly into the central portion 17 of the slot 17 and when in this position, the reflector will be in its normal osition to project the light straight ahea Uneven roads which cause jarring, swaying or bouncing of the car will not efl'ect swinging of the reflector for the reason that any attempt at bouncing of the weight 15 will be mounted with respect to nation of the slot 17 on both sides of its medial line is relatively steep. However, when the car comes and starts to make this turn, centrifugal force which is a strong and positively acting component will cause the weight 15 to be swung in the direction toward the outside of thecurve and this force is in practice to a turn in the-road found to be fully sufiicient in causing the roller to roll up the inclinedportion of the slot against the action of gravity. In other words, the movement of the reflector is the resultant of the combined forces of cenavity, one actin trifugal force and us a more stabilize against'the other and t efi'ect is accomplished.

As soon as the car leaves the curve and proceeds in a straight line, centrifu al force will cease to affect the weight an gravity will act solely so that the reflector will be returned to its normal position.

This arrangement has been found to give very satisfactory results and is theone preferred. However, in Figures 4 to 6, a modified formof the construction is illus-, trated in order to show its adaptability to different arrangements. In this construction, the housing 1 is, as previously described, and the bulb 7 is mounted on a .post 5 as previously stated but the reflector 1s supported in a slightly diiferent manner for oscillation. vided with a hub 19 journalled for rotation on a post 5, but instead of setting this hub on a collar like the collar 10 of Figure 1, the lower edge of'the hub 19 is cut on a bevel and rests directly upon a stabilizing member 20, which corresponds in function to the member 18. The member 20 is rigid with the casing and coaxial of the post 5 and the upper face 21 of said member is in- The deflector is proclined to correspond with the inclined lower face 22 of the hub 19.

The bearing for the reflector is in the form of a thumb screw 23 threaded through the top of the housing and extending into a depression in a bearing block 24. A

spring 25 coiled around the thumb screw between the wall of the housing and the 'efl'ecting oscillatory vibration of the reflector, a spring pressed pin 26 is associated with the hub 19 and to normally seat in a depression referably 1 adapted- 27 formed -to ieldably hold the reflector in normal position. The reflector is weighted as shown at 28 so that the center of weight of the reflector .is exteriorly of'its' axis of rotation.

With this construction, it will be apparent that when the car is moving rectilinearly the inclined cam surfaces 21 and 22 assisted by the pin 26 will maintain the-rei tor will bodil ll flector stationary. However, when the car makes a turn centrifugal force will act to overcome the force of gravity and turn the reflector during which operation the reflecrise due to the cooperation of the incline surfaces 21 and 22. As soon as the car finishes the turn and again resumes rectilinear motion, gravity will act to return the parts to normal'position. This structure has also been foundto give very satisfactory results in practice.

' It will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description that the structure is relatively simple and not apt-to get out of order while practice hasdemonstrated its efliciency in operation. In the several fig ures of the drawings, a small supplementary reflector 28' is shown as positioned directly infront of the bulb and supported on the main reflector in order to obviate direct glare, but this is not essential to the operation of this invention, the scope of which is full defined by the appended claims.

aving thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A directional headlight for automobiles embodying a housing, and a. lamp positioned within the housing,'in combination with a movable reflector mounted for rotation coaxial of the lamp, said reflector being weighted ofi, center of its axis of rota-. tion whereby it is operable by centrifugal force to oscillate in accordance with chan s of direction of movement of the car wlth which the headlight is associated, and cam means for opposing the action of centrifugal force and normally maintaining therector in a position to direct a beam of light straight ahead.

2. Anautomobile headlight embodying a housing adapted to 'be rigidly mounted on an associated car, a source of illumination within said housing, a reflector mounted for pivotal movement on a vertical axis, a

be normally maintaine housing ada ted to be rigidly mounted on an associate car, a source of illumination within said housing, areflector mounted for pivotal movement on a vertical axis, an arm pivotally associated with the reflector and extending radially of said axis, a. weight carried by said arm, a cam like stabilizing member cooperating with the arm and directing said arm under the force of gravity to normally occupy a position wherein the reflected beam of light will be projected straight ahead, whereb the reflector will in this position so long as the car is moving rectilinearly but is adapted to be oscillated by theweight under the action of centrifugal force when the car changes direction.

4. An automobile headlight embodying a housing adapted to be rigidly mounted on an associated car, a source of illumination within said'housing, a reflector mounted for pivotal movement on a vertical axis, an arm pivotally associated with the reflector and extending radially of said axis, a weight carried by said arm, a cam like stabilizing member cooperating with the arm and directing said arm under the force of gravity to normally occupy a position wherein the reflected beam of light will be projected straight ahead, whereby the reflector will 'be normally maintained in this position so long as the car is moving rectilinearly but is adapted to be oscillated by the weight under the action of centrifugal force when the car changes direction, said cam like member being shaped to preclude inadvertent shifting of the arm from its normal position while the car is moving rectilinearly.

5'. An automobile headlight embodying a housing adapted to be rigldly mounted on an associated car, a source of illumination within said housing, a reflector mounted within the housing'for pivotal movement on a vertical axis, a wei ht associated with the reflector and mounte for oscillato movement with the reflector and about t e same vertical axis as the reflector and positioned with center-of-weight of the combined weight and reflector exteriorly 'of the axis of rotation of the reflector, a cam member cooperating with the weight and rigid with the housing and adapted to oppose the action of centrifugal force and maintain the reflector in stationary position to reflect the light beam straight aheadso long as the car is moving rectilinearly, said reflector and weight bein operable by centrifugal force to oscillate in accordance with changes in- ROGER REYMOND.

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